Can Your Genes Predict Your Diseases?
DNA testing can be incredibly useful — or highly misleading
When the phenomenal Human Genome Project was completed in 2003, two years ahead of schedule and fifty years after the discovery of the structure of DNA, it looked like we had all diseases nailed. A simple DNA test would reveal which disease you were most likely to fall victim to, so you could pre-empt your nemesis. Forewarned is forearmed.
This project, described as “..one of the great feats of exploration in history”, is a complete mapping of all the genes that form the blueprint for a human being. These genes are collectively known as the genome.
Know yourself
Your individual genome can now be dissected, analysed, and the results plotted on charts. Depending on the type of test you choose, your genome can reveal what diseases you might inherit, who you are related to, or where your ancestors came from.
No wonder that a craze for genetic testing has swept across much of the world, especially the US and UK, creating a global boom in the industry. A quick Internet search reveals that the competition among laboratories for your DNA is fierce.
The procedure is simplicity itself. For a (usually) reasonable fee, you order a test kit from your chosen laboratory, take a swab, post the swab back to the lab and wait for the results to arrive.
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Copyright © 2020 Maria Cross All rights reserved.
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